Tatum Motorsports Black Widow Spyder Buggy - The Black Widow

For as long as he can remember, Nathan Whitson has had a need for speed. For years he satisfied this need by drag racing alongside his sister, Laura Collins. Whitson kept building and racing cars, culminating in a 1200hp, 8-second Ford Mustang. In 2004 Whitson lost his sister to cancer, and drag racing was just not the same for him. When his friend Anthony Dixon took Whitson to the sand dunes, his need for speed was in full force once again.

Nathan Whitson purchased a Sandcars Unlimited rail and soon was spending all his time in the sandy arroyos around his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and making trips to Glamis, Dumont Dunes, and Saint Anthony's whenever time permitted. With 500 hp and weighing a svelte 2,000 pounds, the Sandcars Unlimited rail had a great power-to-weight ratio, but it did not provide room for the whole Whitson clan. Whitson sold the rail and purchased a Tatum Motorsports Black Widow Spyder.

The Black Widow Spyder is a four-seat sand rail with enough room for the whole family. The full chromoly structure, Jet Trim seats, and Crow five-point harnesses ensure that the family is safe and sound, even when Dad pulls the front tires all the way up on Competition Hill. Whitson wanted the keep same power-to-weight ratio as his previous buggy with the new, 800-pound-heavier Tatum car. To do so he took a page out of his drag racing experience and had Venom Racing build a serious LS2 engine.

The high horsepower engine is mated to a Mendeola S4S sequential transmission. "It is probably not enough transmission for the engine" Whitson comments, "but it keeps me from acting stupid." The transmission has held up admirably thus far, and the car can still do 114 mph with the four speed transmission. Power from the tranny is routed through 934 CVs with super cages and 300M axles. Midboard hubs and six-piston calipers mate to Douglas beadlocked rims fitted with 35-inch Yokohama Geolandar M/T tires.

We were in for quite a ride with this fine buggy.

The all-aluminum 402ci LS2...        read full caption The all-aluminum 402ci LS2 engine has enough shine on it to make Mr. T jealous. It uses a forged crank, rods, and pistons to bump the displacement to 402 cubic inches. CNC ported heads with 1.7 ratio roller rockers and aftermarket valve springs, guides, and retainers, and push rods allow the air to be crammed into the cylinders with little restriction. The custom headers feed Turbonetics T4 turbos and Deltagate wastegates on each side.....	.....A PWR intercooler sits...        read full caption .....A PWR intercooler sits in the rear wing and cools the 9psi of air being crammed into the engine from the 63 trim T4 turbos. No mufflers are necessary since the turbochargers muffle the exhaust note sufficiently You would expect an 850hp engine to have a super lumpy cam and make your eyes water from the unburned race fuel, but Whitson's LS2 is quite deceiving. It is quiet, idles smoothly, and runs cool.	King 2.0 10-inch travel coilovers...        read full caption King 2.0 10-inch travel coilovers and three tube 12-inch travel 2.5 bypass shocks smooth out the bumps with the help of 275 lb/in over 300 lb/in coils. The shocks snake through the billet aluminum control arms that have been machined for minimum unsprung weight without sacrificing strength.
The rear suspension uses tubular...        read full caption The rear suspension uses tubular trailing arms, 300M axles, and 934 CV joints with mid-board hubs. The 25 inches of travel are controlled by King 2.0 14-inch travel coilovers fitted with 500 lb/in over 600 lb/in coil springs and King 16-inch travel 2.5 three-tube remote reservoir shocks. The higher spring rates are designed to work with four occupants in the buggy.	Good brakes are a necessity...        read full caption Good brakes are a necessity when travelling at triple-digit speeds off-road. The rear of the Tatum buggy uses six-piston calipers and 12.5-inch cross drilled rotors.Polished aluminum and engraved flames don't provide any additional performance but they sure do look nice.	An 85-inch front track width...        read full caption An 85-inch front track width and 25 inches of wheel travel allow the Black Widow to keep the tires on the ground through even the largest of whoops. Sand paddles are used at the dunes, but the rest of the time Whitson uses 35-inch Yokohama Geolandar M/Ts mounted on 15x12 Douglas beadlocked rims. The front suspension is complemented by a 300M billet Power Ram hydraulic steering rack that is directed by a Grant billet aluminum steering wheel. More aluminum comes in the form of the CNC brakes with dual master cylinders and the CNC cutting brakes. The cutting brakes really make the 125-inch wheelbase Black Widow maneuverable in tight terrain. The windshield, PCI intercom, Lowrance 540C GPS, and full suite of Livorsi gauges also make the car comfortable for the whole family in a variety of terrain and conditions. That is exactly what Nathan Whitson set out to accomplish.
The dash layout is simple...        read full caption The dash layout is simple and functional. Livorsi gauges keep track of the engines vital signs, the PCI intercom keeps Whitson in communication with his passengers, and the toggle switches control a variety of functions such as the ACRO HID headlights, ignition, and high and low boost settings.Whitson works a billet Grant steering wheel and shifters for the Mendeola 4S4 transmission while his co-pilot takes care of the ice chest and Lowrance 540C GPS. The whole family gets Jet Trim seats and Crow five point harnesses for safety.	We paced this jump out and...        read full caption We paced this jump out and determined that Whitson had flown his Black Widow 92 feet through the air. He was hitting the jump in fourth gear at approximately 75 mph and matching the rpms to the speed when the tires touched down again to keep from scattering drivetrain parts.	Each bank of cylinders benefits...        read full caption Each bank of cylinders benefits from a Turbonetics 63 trim T4 turbocharger. By using two smaller turbochargers, plumbing is kept to a minimum, the turbos spool more quickly for less lag, and overall power is increased.
The trifecta of high horsepower,...        read full caption The trifecta of high horsepower, low weight, and huge suspension travel allow the Tatum Motorsports to defy gravity at times. Jumps like this can be taken without drama, time and time again.